Combined angle cutter and work gauge for saws



Allg 12, 1952 w. E. JOHNSON COMBINED ANGLE CUTTER AND WORK GAUGE FOR SAWS Filed April 21, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l /N VEN TOR W//l/'am E Johnson ECX/MMX AHor/reys W. E. JOHNSON Aug. l2, 1952 COMBINED ANGLE CUTTER AND WORK GAUGE FR SAWS 2 SI-IEETS--SHEET 2 Filed April 21, 1948 5 W m. l5

//v VENTO/1'I Wi//fam E. Johnson `Patented ug. 1:2, 1952 f UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE CMBINED ANGLE CUTTER AND WORK GAUGE FOR SAWS William E. Johnson, Norfolk, Va. Application April 21, 1948, Serial No. 22,419 (c1. 14s-169) 3 Claims.

. This invention relates to an attachment or nxture adaptedV to be secured to the work table of `a power saw, for the purpose of supporting, guiding and` measuring the work piece, particularly during mitering o-perations. Y

A Attachments, jigs, and xtures of different types have been designed and used in the past, for the purpose of facilitating the use of power saws, whether they be band saws, jig saws or circular. saws etc. By way of example, two such devices are shown in U. S. Patents Nos. 702,043 to Zika, and 790,182 to Butterworth. Most of thesegdevices however, are designed especially to facilitate the cutting of some particular type of work, and some are quite complicated.

. My improved attachment, while intended primarily to be used with` a band saw, can be similarly used upon a jig saw or a circular saw, as will become apparent. It is of .simplied constructionand is easily attached to the top of the saw .work table. A minimum of instruction is required to acquaint a person with its operation.

tistherefore a primary object of my invention to provide a combined angle cutter and work gage forsaws. u

-Another .object is the'provision of an attachmenthaving a pair of adjustable work guiding elements which are cooperatively used to measure the workpiece and to hold 'it in properV position during. the cutting operation.-

.'Other"'objects will become apparent as the description proceeds "in Aconnection with the attached drawings,lwherein:

`Figure lisa top plan view oimy attachment.

"Figure 2 is a. side elevation of the attachment as viewed from the bottom of Figure 1.

I Figure 3 is a'sectionalview substantially along line 3-3 of Figure. 1.

Figuren is an enlarged detail sectional view along the line 4'-4 of Figurel.

. Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view. along the` line 5-.5 .ofl Figure 1.v

Figurel 6 is an enlarged detailsectional view along the vline 6--6 of Figure 1.

Referringto the drawings, a conventional band saw table is shown atLIU'and the blade at Il. The table has arslot` I2.to permit insertion and removal of the endless blade II. The conventional .construction of the table and blade arenot changedin any mannenaswill becomeapparent.`

spacing elements of equal thickness are arranged and clamped between them. Referring to Figure 1 an elongated spacer strip I6 extends the full length of the upper and lower plates along their left edge. A spacer strip I1 extends along their rear edge. Similar but shorter strips I3 and I9 space the plates at their forward edge, there being a gap between the facing ends of strips I8 and I9 at the slot 2B. The attachment is constructed to be moved along the saw table I0, as will be explained, and for that reason the upper and lower plates are provided with slots in the same vertical plane as the slot I2 in the table I El. In the drawings this slot through the elements forming the attachment is indicated by a single reference number 20.

The right sides of the upper and lower plates I4 and I5 are circular curved arcs having as their center of curvature the vertical lineat the cutting edge of the saw blade II, designated in Figure 1 by the reference number 21. An arcuate spacer strip 2I separates the upper and lower plates at their arcuately curved sides. the strip 2I being placed slightly inward from the outer edges of the plates to form a peripheral slotl 22 therebetween (Figures 5 and 6) for a purpose to be described. Adjacent their centers the upper and lower plates are maintained in rigid spaced relationship by a ring shaped spacer strip 23 which is appropriately cut through'at the slot 20. A short spacer strip 24 extends from the ring spacer 23 to the spacer strip I8 along one side of the slot 20, and on the'other side ofthe slot a similar short spacer strip 25 extends from thering spacer 23 to the spacer strip I9. The upper and lower plates I4 and I5 and all of the previously described spacer strips are secured together to form a rigid assembly by means of properly spaced nat headed machine screws 26 having their heads counter sunk into the top surface of Y the upper plate I4.

attachmentlcomprises. an upper plate I4 iguration,1,the two. platesy .being "rigidly secured and a lowerl .platerIS of identical sizeland con# y A pair of dovetail cross slide members 3B and 3I are securedto the bottom ,of the lower plate I5 as by screws 32, the members 3U and 3| being parallel to the plane of the saw blade II.. The dovetailslide members are slidably mounted in a pair of dovetail cross slide tracks 33 .and 34 which rest upon the tcp of the saw table `I 0, the tracks 33 and 34 being,considerablylonger than the slide members 30 and 3|. A Each track 33 and 34 is held againstA longitudinal Vmovement .with respect to theL sawtable Iufby means of` a pair of angle mem bers 35 and 36. which are welded to the'tracks so that one leg of each; angle member extends down wardly to. engageA theiside V4of the saw table.-

3 Shifting of the tracks transversely of the saw table is prevented by clamping screws 31, one screw being threaded through a boss welded to the vertical leg of each angled member to clamp the tracks and the assembly carried thereby to the saw table. Any other suitable securing means may be used instead of the screws 57, as will be understood. The arrangement of the tracks 33 and 34 secured to the saw table, and the shorter slides 5U and SI secured to the plate assembly, permits the plate assembly to be moved bodily along a xed path parallel to th'e plane oi' the saw blade II, which will pass through the slot 2c in the plate assembly. A suitable-stop means such as a block 38 (Figures 1 and 3) iii;- edly secured within the groove in the slide-track 33 may be used to limit the forward movement N Y ci. the plate assembly so that itdoes not strike the back of the saw blade II. Y

The description so farhas been concerned wit the construction details of the plate assembly whereby it is movable. in a straight line in aplane parallel to the saw table. When a work piece is placed upon' the upper plate I4 in the line of the saw blade II, movement of the plate assembly moves the work piece relatively to the saw for a cutting` operation. My plate assembly is providedwith novel work measuring and holding devices whereby the work piece can be placed upon the upper plate I4 and cut to the desired shape and size.

To the left-of the saw blade is a fence 49 formed bythe vertical leg of an angle member having its horizontal leg 4I resting -upon the upper plate I4. The fence extends parallel to the saw blade II and the slot 2U and is adjustable towards or away from the slot 2l)` and the saw bladeas will be described.

Extending to the left of the 'fence 49 and at right angles-thereto is an elongated plate 42 being secured to the top of the'horizontal leg 4I by welding. IIn`plan,the fence 40 and plate 42 have the appearance of a T-square. A pairY ofop positely disposed guide elements-43 and 44 (Fig. 4) are mounted uponthe upper plate4 I4 byscrews 45 andare provided with recesses 46 and 4'I respectively to receive the` elongatedy plate 42 and guide it in a straight line towards and away from the slot 29. Plates 48 and 49 aresecured to the guide elements 43 and 44 Vrespectively by the same` screws 45. to retain-the-plate 42 within its guiding recesses, which` are ofv suchl depthfas to hold Vthe plate 42 spaced'above the upper plate I4 by the distance determined by-thethickness of the horizcntal leg 4I of the fence 40. In order to prevent buckling of the upper and lower plates I4 and I5 by the screws 45, spacer washers50 are arranged upon each screw and between the vsaid upper andlower plates.

A threaded stud 5I (Fig. 4) is screwedy into the ing a horizontal leg 69 is vmountedifor. pivoted movement in, a horizontalzplane about a-fvertical axis passing through the point Z'II'at the cutting edge of the saw I I. VWhile the lowerplate I5 has only a small round `hole 6I :(Figs': 1 and) for-tithe? saw blade at the inner end of slot 20, the upper plate I4 has a much larger circular hole 62 (Fig. l) therethrough and a 270 degree annular segment 63 is rotatably received in said hole 62 to provide a rotatable pivot plate for the fence 59. which is secured at its inner end to the pivot plate 53 by two screws 64. In the illustrated embodiment the fence 59 is designed to be rotated 45 degrees to either side of its zero position in which it is shown in Figure 1, which is the reason that the pivot plate 63 has a 90 degree segment removed. It can thus be rotated 45 degrees in either direction from the zero position of Figure 1 without obstructing the slot 20 for the saw blade.

The pivot plate 63 is substantially the same thickness 4as' the upper plate I4 so that it lies within the planes of the upper and lower surfaces thereof. A circular retainer plate 65, having a larger diameter than the pivot plate 63. and having a similar 90 degree segment removed, is concentrically arranged with the pivot plate 63 and lies in the space between the upper plate I4 and the lower plate I5, within the ring shaped spacer strip 23. The pivot plate 63 is secured to the retainer plate 65 by three countersunk screws 66. and the retainer plate 65 thus keeps the pivot plate 63 from rising out of its hole 62 in the upper plate I4.

The outer end of the fence 59 protrudes beyond the right hand arcuate edges of the upperr and lower plates I4 and I5. A guide member 61 is secured to the underside of the horizontal leg 60 of the fence 59 by screws `(58,.but slightly spaced below the legv 60 by a spacer plate 69 (Figure 6) so that its left', end protrudes. into the slot 22 between theupper and lower. plates adjacent their periphery. The guide member 61 thus holds the outer end oi the-fence 59 against being lifted from the upper plateVV I 4.

The vertical face of the v fence 59 thus provides an yadjustable abutment which is always in the same vertical plane thatcontains the cuttingedge oi the saw blade II. When a work piece is held against the fence 59 and the plate assembly is moved along its tracks 33-34 the work piece will be' cut oi at an angle` corresponding to the angular setting ofthe fence 59. of the upper plate I4 has engraved' thereon an angularjscale, indicated-.generally at 'II in Figure 1. which shows the. setting. of the fence with respect to the blade II and th'e'path of travel of the plate assembly. In orderto. hold the fence in a desired setting the clamping arrangement shown in detail in Figureis employed.A A circular boss 'I2k is welded to the top of the leg 60 of the fence 5 9. Theboss has a vertical threaded bore therethrough and afs'crew 'I3 having an offset handle 'I4 is threaded through Athe boss. The leg 60 vhas a hole therethrough which is larger in diameter than the screw 'I3'.,a'nd within thishole is a loosely tting circular plug 14. When the screw 'I3 compresses theplugv14 againstthe upper plate I4 the fence is secured in its selected position. The plug 'I4 prevents the'marring of the surface ofthe plate I4v whichmight occur if the screw 13. engaged the surface directly.

A pairoll adjustable stops areprovide'd along thearcuate edge of the plateassembly 'so that the fence 59 can be swung`runtil its guide mem# ber 6,1 hits :one of the stops whichhas been. pre# viously placed at theldesired angular point. The

stops eliminate the need rof visual setting of the fenceat thecrrectangle by means of the scale 'HL andas'w'll be understodbythose skilled in.

the 'art the stopsfare'usually located ati angles The top surface,

that areusedrepeatedly, such as 30 or 45 degrees.

`Being adjustably positioned however, they Vcan be placed at any desired angle. `Slince'the. two stops are identical they are indicated generally by the same reference number I6 in Figures 1 and `5, their construction being shown in enlarged detail in Figure 5. Each stop'comprises a rectangular element 'II having a central opening 18. The element is cutaway at its upper lefthand corner in Figure 5 so that its upper leg 19 protrudes into the slot 22, and thelower plate I5 in turn protrudes into the opening 1'8. The rest of the space between the upper leg 'I9 and the lower leg 80 is occupied by a stop `rail 8I which is suitably secured to the undersideof the lower plate I5 as by rivets or countersunk screwsv 8'2. The stop rail 8I is arcuate in plan, and follows the periphery of the arcuate side of the lower plate I5, extending. substantially the entire length of such arcuate side. The left leg 83 of the rectangular element TI protrudes upwardly4 inside the sto-p rail BI, thus retaining the element 'I'I uponthe lower plate I5, but permitting it to be adjusted along its arcuate periphery. The rectangular element I"I which forms the stop forthe fence 59 is secured in any selected position by va thumb screw 84 threaded through the element and engageable with the outer periphery of the plate I5 and the rail 8I to clamp it in place.

Besides the angular scale 'II previously described, the upper surface of the upper plate I4 is engraved with other scales which will now be described.

A scale indica-ted generally by the reference number 85 is engraved on the upper surface of the upper plate I4, to the right of the slot 20, and forward of the saw blade II. The scale 85 has two sets of lines at right angles, graduated in inches as shown in Figure 1. The vertically spaced lines in Figure 1 measure the distance from the cutting edge 2'I of the saw blade, or the distance from the fence 59 when it is on its zero position on the angular scale 'II. It is apparent that these lines can measure the width of a work piece lying flat against the fence 59, or they can measure the depth of a cut being m-ade. The other lines, parallel to the slot 20, measure the distance from a point on the scale 85 to the cutting teeth of the saw blade I I when it is in the slot 20, and thus indicate the length of a piece to the right of the saw blade and lying against the fence 59. These last lines also measure the width of a strip being cut from a work piece when the fence 49 is used as a rip fence.

The scale 81 is engraved on the plate I4 -to the left of the slot 20 and forward of the saw blade II, within the range of adjustment of the fence 40. It comprises two scales, one of which is an angular scale graduated in degrees and diametrically opposite a portion of the angular scale TI. Its zero graduation is diametrically opposite to the zero graduation, and its 45 degree graduation is diametrically opposite to the rear 45 degree graduation of the scale 1I, which is the upper 45 degree graduation in Figure 1. The angular graduations of scale 81 extend radially inwards from points inches from the cutting edge 21 to the edge of the central opening 62 in the upper plate i4. The 10 inch distance is by way of example only. A series of circular arcuate lines having the cutting edge 2'I as their center, are also engraved upon the upper plate I4, these lines measuring the distance from the cutting iedge 2l along the, radial; lines, .and these dis 4tances being indicated in inches.

. The scale 81 cooperates with the rectilinearly movable fence 40 and the angularly movable fence 59 in thefollowing manner. Assume that it is ldesired to cut from a work piece a section having Ais placed against the fence 59 with the end which is to be cut. oif abuttingagainst the other fence 49.. Now when `the assembly is moved along its tracks the end cut oil?. by the saw will be six inches long and the end will make an acute angle of 45 degrees with the six inch side.

If the angle to be cut is to be 60 degrees to the six inch side, then the fence 59 will be set at 30 degrees. The fence lIll will be moved to the left until it lies at vthe intersection of the 30 degree and the 6 inch lines. Thus the fence 40 can be used as a rip fence and alsoas a measuring gage used in conjunction with the fence 59 when miter cuts are to be made. Y

My assembly thereby provides an easily constructed device which may readily be attached to the conventional table of a band saw or the like, and permits the cutting of work pieces to the desired shapes with a minimum amount of computations. It is equally adaptable for use as a jig to cut a large number of identical articles, or as a fully adjustable mitering attachment which is readily adjusted to desired positions.

The invention may be embodied in other specilc forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for use with a band saw, comprising a work supporting plate; a second plate spaced in parallel relationship with respect to said work supporting plate; spacer means between said plates; sald work supporting plate having a hole therethrough; a pivot having a portion between said plates larger in diameter than said hole, and a portion seated in and guided by said hole; and a fence attached to said pivot for movement therewith, said pivot having a central passage therethrough for a band saw blade, and said fence protruding beyond the edge of said work supporting plate and having guide means entering the space between the two plates to secure it against vertical movement.

2. An attachment for use with a band saw comprising a Work supporting plate; a second plate spaced in parallel relationship with respect to said work supporting plate; spacer means between said plates; said work .supporting plate having a hole therethrough; a pivot having a portion between said plates larger in diameter than said hole, and a portion seated in and guided by said hole; and a fence attached to said vpivot for movement therewith, said pivot ha'ving a central passage-therethrough for a. bandY saw blade, one edger of said` worky supporting plate being. circular in plan, saidfence-protruding beyond. the said edge and. engaging` the underside of saidrwork supporting-plate to;limit the movement of. said Vfence Ytotheplane of said work supporting: plate..

3. In. an. attachment foriuse with a saw having asaW table throughwhich the saw. protrudes, a Work. supporting planar plate through which'the saw protrudes; means for mounting said plate upon the sawA table for rectilinearfmovement in a planeparallel tothatfof the `savv blade; a rst fence pivotallyv attachedr to :said platev about an axsparallel and coplanar with. thaty of the cutting edge of the saw; a. rst angular scaleon said plate' toindicate the position of said first fence with respect tothe direction of movement of said plate; a. second `fence sli'dably. mounted upon said plate forrectilinear horizontal movement perpendicularto the direction of movement of said plate and spaced from saidrst fence on the other side of the plane of the saw blade; a second scale having arcuate graduations on said plate to indicatef the: linear distance of said second fence from theV pivotal center of said rst fence, said second scale also having angular graduaticns overlying said arcuate graduations and cooperative with said arcuate graduations4 and said second fence, and-having the same center and' with` itsA angular graduations in alignment withl the graduations uponsaid rst angular scale toindicatethe proper transverse setting of said second fence in: accordance with the angular setting of said rst fence, whereby said second fence may be properly positioned to act as a gauge cooperating with said rst fence to position a Work piece, during rectilinear movement of said Work supporting plate with` respect to the saw blade.

WILLIAM E. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The' following references are of record inthe 1eof thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number f Name Date 141,975v Xander Aug. 19; 18,73 147,875 Suydam Feb. 24, 1874 420,739 Schmitz Feb. 4, 1890 509,736 Hanson Nov. 28, 1893 702,043 Zika June 10, 1902 729,915 Beecher June 2, 1903 '790,182 Butterworth May 16, 1905 2,097,920 Hedgpeth Nov. 2, 1937 2,140,323 Lonskey Dec. 13, 1938 2,203,369 Sperry June 4, 1940 

